Lightning's Crash
by campwbook
Summary: Doc's reaction after Lightning crashes during a race against Chick Hicks.
1. Chapter 1: Lightning's Crash

Disclaimer: I do not on Cars, (or even _a_ car, as mine is broken). All characters belong to Pixar.

"No!"

It wasn't like how the stories were. Time did not slow down for Doc as he watched the horrifying images on the screen go by. It was all happening too fast; there was nothing he could do. But that didn't stop the Hudson Hornet from tearing away from the rest of the pit crew as if it were him in the race. The contestants had all realized that something was wrong, they were all slowing down; some of the emergency vehicles were attempting to make their way into the wreckage. Doc never noticed as a green blur passed through the finish line, the only car still competing at this point. He had his eyes glued on the cloud of smoke about halfway down the track, obscuring the car he knew that lay beneath it.

He knew what had happened. He had seen it on the observation television that they had rigged up for people in the bleachers to see who were too far away. He had been ecstatic less than a minute ago, silently adding his support with the rest of the crowd, which was now making cries of despair as they realized that their hero, the rookie, had just been flipped over. Shaking off his headset radio, he ripped apart the pavement as he tried to get to his apprentice.

"Not my boy…"He continuously murmured to himself, "Please, not my boy…"

In the back of his mind, Doc could see Lightning's career go down the drain; his sponsors would leave him, a new young and talented racer would take his place, and the all of the hard work that had been invested in racing would be wasted. However, Doc barely acknowledged this. He didn't give a damn if the boy couldn't drive again, just as long as he was alive. He couldn't see the extent of the damage distanced as he was, and though the smoke had finally cleared, there were now a dozen officials surrounding the scene of the accident. His panic rose to a peak when he heard their voices begin to get louder and more excited. Was he already too late?

He pushed his way through the small crowd until he could see the little red sports car.

"Lightning!"He shouted, dashing the short distance that lay between them. "Answer me, kid! Come on!"

Doc felt sick as he looked at McQueen, who had rolled over several times and hit the ground with great force when he had flipped on the track. His paint was peeling everywhere, and hot vapor was pouring out of his hood. His side windows had all been smashed in, and the ground was littered with glass and metal parts. But what really made Doc cringe was how the car was scrunched up like a paper fan, he wasn't just dented, he had become crumpled.

"Aww kid…." He said in a choked voice, suddenly feeling very old and tired. He gently nudged Lightning with his front bumper, begging for him to respond to his touch. Doc would never forgive himself if the boy who he looked on as a son didn't pull through-, not when he was here to win a race just to make him proud.

"D-Doc?"

The Hudson Hornet had never felt as much relief as he did at this moment. Letting out some of his stress in a quick chuckle, he felt himself relax just a tiny bit as he said "Yha, HotRod, I'm right here."

Lightning's eyes were unfocused, but at least now they were open. His eyes came to rest on Doc, and he slowly lost his dazed look. Doc made room for a trailer that was backing up so that he could pick up the race-car and take him to the local garage. He kept constant eye contact with the patient, making sure that his eyes didn't close again. Lightning seemed to be struggling to say something, and Doc had to lean back in to hear his strained whisper.

"Was it my fault?"

Doc couldn't keep the anger out of his voice as he ground out an immediate "No." from between his teeth. "It was Chick." Lightning's eyes narrowed slightly, though he had no memory of the crash, he _could _recall a similar incident last year, only that time there had had been a different victim. Chick had forced Dinaco's senior golden boy, 'The King', off the road in a last desperate attempt to win the Piston Cup. His actions had distracted Lightning long enough for him to win the race, though he didn't get the victory that he wanted. The fact that history had repeated itself did not surprise Lightning in the least.

"I'm gunna go over there and beat the tar outta him" Doc growled as he started to turn away.

"Awww, Doc, were you worried about me?" Lightning asked with a wide grin.

Doc didn't miss a beat. "You beat I was. You ever get into this much trouble again and I'll make you _and_ Chick pave over the entire interstate with Bessie."

Hearing the underlying concern in his mentor's voice, Lightning felt a pang of guilt that he had worried the older car. "I really am sorry Doc." He said quietly before fully relaxing onto the trailer's back, completely exhausted from the race, his injuries, and the conversation. Doc gave a sharp nod of acknowledgement, and then continued to leave in order to make good on his threat regarding Chick. "Not as sorry as that boy's about to be." As he began to drive back the way he came, Lightning's voice called him back.

"Hey Doc!" He called, "You think Ramone will give me a new paint job after he finds out that I wrecked another one?


	2. Chapter 2: Waiting for Dr Verte

**Cars Chapter 2**

"So where is this hotshot doctor that your agent demanded you hire?" Doc asked dryly. He turned the page of his newspaper, the front page of which displayed yet another view of Lightning's crash in last week's state race. The whole article was devoted to the rookie's ongoing recovery, not a syllable was mentioned of the winner of the race, much to Doc's satisfaction. Chick Hicks was the one responsible for the crash, and his victory was being stripped from him due to misconduct on the course.

Lightning was having the final few dents hammered out of him, a painful process as it turns out. The first part of his treatment consisted of bending him back into shape, which the team of doctor's aides had been doing for the better part of the week. "I'm not-ulg- really sure, I haven't seen-ow- him since yesterday morning. Hey fellas, can we go a little bit easier on the hood please? The assistants ignored his grumbling as always, and continued to use their mallets on the little sports car. Doc let out a chuckle. "Come on kid, I thought you were made of stronger stuff than that?" Lightning winced as yet another dent was straightened out. "OUCH! Doc, please, just get me out of here! I'll do laps till my tires burst, but no more hammers!

"No can do kid, till you get a clean bill of health from Dr. Vert, you're going to be stuck right here. Speaking of which…" Doc rolled out of Lightning's room to get a good a look at the rest f the garage. There were plenty of Doctors and aides running to and fro, but there was no sign of the green convertible that Lightning was paying a small fortune to for his health. Dr. Verte was a very well known specialist. In fact, Doc had seen his image posted in nearly every county on advertisement boards. However, the one place Doc had yet to see him was at his patient's bedside. Once again, Doc found himself questioning Harve's "recommendation" of medical care. The agent had insisted on getting Verte, and couldn't be negotiated with when it came to Lightning, his rising star. Though Doc had never met Harve, he had taken an instant disliking to him when he had called Lightning after his piston cup race last year, congratulating him on what he called 'his first publicity scam'.

"The crowd ate that sentimental crap up!" he had cried with delight. "Lightning, you're a natural, baby! Excellent strategy! I guess some of my lectures finally rubbed off on you, eh, kid?"

When Lightning had finally gotten off of the phone, he had been quiet for the rest of the day, until just before he had turned in for the night; Doc had received an unexpected visitor.

"Doc?" Lightning called out from the front door of the clinic.

"Yhea McQueen?" Doc answered, coming out of the hallway leading to his bedroom.

"I just- when Harve called…" Lightning started of uncertainly before trailing off and looking down at the floor.

"Spit it out kid" Doc said gruffly, growing impatient. Lightning finally seemed to make up his mind and turned back towards Doc.

"You know that I didn't push Strip Weathers across the finish line for my image right?" He began to look a little panicked as he said this, as if he were pleading his innocence to a judge. Which technically, he was. "It wasn't to make me look good, I swear! I just wanted to-"

Doc began to chuckle as he realized what this was all about. "Hey rookie, it's all right, I understand" he began, cutting through Lightning's panic. "What you did out there was a good thing, no matter how that half-wit agent of yours tries to spin it. I know you weren't thinking of yourself out there, and I know that the King is mighty pleased to have count you as a friend who was willing to give up his dream for him."

Lightning looked visibly relieved at this, but then a guilty look took over his features again as he once more began to examine the floor. "Well, I didn't…exactly do it all for him either." He glances quickly up at Doc, then back down at the floor again. Doc tilted his head to the side, definitely curious now. "Well?" he asked. "Go on Lightning, why'd you do it then?"

His gaze still glued to the floor, Lightning said, "I kept thinking about your crash. The one that took you out of racing for good. I know it was a long time ago, and I realise I can't give back what was taken from you. But-" The race car didn't seem sure he wanted to have this conversation anymore. Doc could tell that Lightning was ready to bolt out of his clinic, so he tried his best to give the boy an encouraging smile. But it didn't seem to calm Lightning down, instead, he let out an exasperated breath before continuing,"I don't know really, maybe I thought it would give you some closure too. It seemed like the right thing to do, but if everyone thinks I did it just for the publicity, then I might as well be the jerk who raced by him."

This was probably the first time Lightning had really opened up to Doc, and the older car found that he wasn't quite certain how to react. He was touched that the boy had cared so much about his opinion of him. "Now listen here, McQueen," Doc said, attempting to get himself together so that he could properly reassure Lightning, "Nobody thinks that it was a publicity stunt, especially me. In fact, I don't think I could mention a time when I had ever been more proud."

Lightning finally looked up from the ground, and managed to give Doc a small smile. "Thanks Doc. I really needed to hear that from you."

"Don't think you can sweet talk your way out of training tomorrow, kid. Just 'cause I'm proud of ya doesn't mean you're a better racer." Doc said, letting Lightning know that despite their little heart-to-heart, he wouldn't think any less of him.

Lightning gave an exaggerated groan. "But Doc, surely the protégé of the _fabulous Hudson Hornet_ deserves a break every now and then?"

Doc snorted as he headed back to his room. "Fabulous? Just last week you called me a grumpy old race-car!

Even though the conversation had brought the two cars closer together, Doc was still very aware of the fact that it was Harve who had upset Lightning so much in the first place. He never said anything intentionally hurtful to the boy, but Doc could immediately see where Lightning had gotten all of his notions of superiority from. Doc had had an agent just like him, who had built up his ego and confidence until he lost sight of why he had begun racing in the first place. Harve didn't care about Lightning, he cared about his image. Doc could see that Lightning didn't realize this, and he was worried that somewhere along the road, the kid would get hurt, just like he had.


	3. Chapter 3: Lightning's Recovery

"Really?!" Lightning asked excitedly.

Dr. Verte looked over the top of his chart and gave Lightning a winning smile. "Really, champ. Just sign the paperwork and you're free to go!" Lightning gave a happy cry and raised his tire for a 'high five' with Dr. Verte. "Hear that Doc? We're going home!"

Doc Hudson let a grin show across his features as his relief began to set in. The past few weeks had been difficult for both of them, waiting to hear for certain that Lightning would be able to race again. Doc knew Lightning had been particularly frustrated of late, as he had been stuck in the garage the whole time, unable to move off of the car lift while the garage staff worked on him every day. He was young and needed exercise, staying in one place had been torture for the kid. But now things were looking up for rookie. Dr. Verte had just given Lightning the 'all-clear', and they were heading back to Radiator Springs (Doc had almost chuckled when he heard the boy call the small town home). Lightning was grinning like a fool as the aides put the finishing touches on Lightning; re-filling his tires with air and putting gasoline in his tank. When they carefully lowered him back down to the floor, he only paused for a minute before starting his engine. The sound was like music to Doc's ears.

"Well what are you waiting for, McQueen, go for a spin!" Dr. Verte laughed as he backed away, giving lightning plenty of 'galloping' room in the otherwise empty garage. Lightning didn't need to be asked twice. Giving the engine a good rev, he dashed to the other end of the room and proceeded to do doughnuts around the two doctors.

Doc was suddenly made aware of loud gurgling sound that was coming from Lightning as he accelerated. "Hold up there, kid! What's that noise?" Lightning began to slow down, but Dr. Verte waved off Doc's worry by saying "It's just the tank getting used to having fuel after so long. The poor kid's been starved for weeks!"Satisfied, McQueen continued to show off his recovered state. Doc cringed when he heard the gurgling sound intensify. It certainly didn't sound like it was nothing to worry about. "Take it easy, son, no need to blow your motor all at once!" "Ah, come on Doc, I feel great!" Lightning proclaimed as he zipped about the room. "Stop worrying like an Oldsmobile!"

"He really is fine, Mr. Hudson," Dr. Verte said reassuringly. There's no reason to worry about your boy here, he's as ready to race as he ever was."

"Mmm…." Doc said, and seemed to chew on a thought for a while before saying "I want you to examine him again. Keep him overnight for observation too."

The doctor gave him a tight smile. His voice had lost its friendly tone as he addressed Doc.

"Now there's no need for that. Mr. McQueen has been thoroughly inspected by my team and repaired so that his engine is running better than before. I have absolutely no concerns about my patient's discharge and quite frankly, the garage needs the space for other customers."

"I'm just asking you to take another look at him!" Doc said, losing his patience. "That gas tank doesn't sound right, I'm sure of it. Now, I'm the local G.P at Radiator Springs, I _do _know a thing or two about mechanics-"

"Oh not this again!" Doctor Verte groaned. "Every car that can check his own oil tank thinks that he has a degree and can tell me how to do my job!" Dropping all pretence of civility, Doctor Verte got right into Doc's face as he said, "Listen here Hudson-has-been; I've got a dozen certificates on my wall saying that I'm in charge of this garage, and that includes any patients that walk in this door. I have a waiting list of clients lining up for an appointment with me today, and I don't have time to coddle some kid and his overprotective handler!"

"Hey!" McQueen exclaimed, having ceased showing off his good health long enough to hear the tail end of their conversation. "Back off Verte, he's just worried about me! There's absolutely no need to-"

"Shut up kid," the Hudson Hornet growled menacingly. "We shouldn't have come to this chop shop anyways, this idiot probably doesn't know a fan belt from a carburetor. We're heading out so the good doctor here can scam his other victims".

Obedient as ever, McQueen followed Doc as he made his way to the door, with Dr. Verte frantically trying to end the feud that he felt little responsibility for. "Mr. McQueen, please don't let this car's poor judgement affect our working relationship, I can assure you that there is no reason to doubt my diagnosis. I am aware of the trust that you must have for Mr. Hudson as your personal trainer, however you must admit that I have far more experience that he does dealing with serious cases like these! I trust my crew's work!"

By now they were outside the garage, and Lightning's first few minutes of freedom were being ruined for him by this sleezeball. "That's _Doctor _Hudson to you!" Lightning said with a small snarl as he sped off to catch up with Doc. "Consider yourself fired!" the sports car threw over his shoulder.

"I'm calling Mac." Was the first thing Doc said when Lightning drove within hearing distance. "I'm not having you driving around the interstate with your gas tank sounding like Sherriff's snoring." Doc had slowed down now so that Lightning was forced to keep the same pace. The red sports car nearly rolled his eyes at his friend's antics and began to try to reason with him.

"Doc, I feel fine! Great actually! Verte may have been a first class jerk, but he did say I was good to go." Lightning was still bristling from Doctor Verte insulting his mentor. He wanted nothing more than to take the air out of the jerk's tires, but he also wanted to keep his freedom.

Doc wasn't buying it. "That car is a light bulb short of a set of headlights. We've already wasted enough time here; I want you in my clinic by sundown before you can get into any more trouble.

"But I've been shut in that garage for ages!" Lightning argued. "How am I supposed to train for the next race if I'm locked up inside the whole time?"

Doc slowed to a halt and waited for McQueen to turn and face him. He gave the young race car a serious glare and said, "Some things are more important than racing rookie. That crash could have taken you out for more than just the season." Lightning had the grace to look thoroughly chastened. Satisfied that he had gotten his point across, Doc gave an exasperated huff and drove off to the nearest phone booth to call Mac.


	4. Chapter 4: Return To Radiator Springs

Radiator Springs was as busy as ever.

Doc immediately found himself immersed in the hustle and bustle of the town as he tried to locate a parking spot big enough for Mac to unload Lightning from the trailer. Ideally he would have parked as close to his garage as possible, but de decided against it when he saw the large crowd of paparazzi that had made themselves comfortable at his front door. It didn't take a genius to figure out that someone had tipped them off as to Lightning's recovery.

Growling with impatience, Doc finally found a deserted area close by Sherriff's station. Mac pulled up behind him. "Well at least he's gunna know that his fans didn't abandon him just because he's been out of commission!" Mac chuckled. Doc snorted. As if the kid needed another ego boost. Rapping a tire against Lightning's trailer, Doc called out to him so that he would open up the door. Receiving no response, Doc asked Mac to release the door automatically. Just as the door began to lower itself, Doc heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"So I see the invalid's returned!" Sherriff had come out the back door of the station to greet them. "I suppose we won't get any peace around here anymore". Doc gave Sherrif an incredulous look. "Well it certainly didn't look peaceful when we drove in! In case you haven't noticed, the area's so crowded around here that the main road's blocked!" Sherriff merely shrugged. "Hey, at least _these_ folks haven't been passing their time destructing public property or tipping Franks tractor herd! Radiator springs has been calmer than ever without that little trouble maker." This was directed at Lightning, but the tease went unnoticed by the "little trouble maker" as he was sound asleep in his trailer, snoring lightly.

Doc stared at him in disbelief. "I could have sworn the kid would be dying to get out of there!" Mac laughed as he detached himself from the trailer. "The Boss? Naw, it never fails. Once he gets into the trailer he's out like a headlight." Doc let a small smile escape as he watched his charge nap. Despite all of his protesting, the kid had really needed his rest after his accident. However, the moment did not last long.

"Where's my best buddy?!" called Mater, the town's resident tow truck as he barreled towards the assembled crew. "McQueen! Where'd ya get to!" The moment the trailer had come into his sights, Mater happily blasted his horn at full volume, startling Lightning so much that he immediately accelerated on waking and crashed right into Sherriff. Recovering quickly, Lightning backed a good distance away from the police car before greeting Mater cheerfully and asking him about all that he had missed during his recovery.

Of Course Lightning denied ever being asleep the whole drive to the clinic.

"My eyes were just closed; I was adjusting to the light!" Lightning argued.

"Uh huh. And I suppose that snoring I heard was really you singing?" Doc shook his head. "We really have to work on your taste in music".

"I DO NOT SNORE!" Lightning cried, but his argument was swallowed up by the noise of the crowd as they approached Doc's place. No sooner than when they had come into view did Doc hear the now familiar call of "the twins".

"IT'S LIGHTNING!" Mia and Tia shouted excitedly as the sports car came into view. The determined fans had followed Lightning nearly his whole career, with a small exception when the rookie had gone missing for the better part of a week and began to cheer for Chick Hicks. Lightning had forgiven them immediately; he seemed to have a soft spot for them. He shot the sisters a wink followed by a winning smile, causing them to shriek all over again. Doc, however, believed that they were as shallow as a hubcap filled with water, and ignored them.

"Lightning!" A reporter called out to them. "Is it true that you won't be participating in the racing season?" Lightning gave a good humored laugh. "Of course not! One little setback isn't going to affect my career! In fact-" Doc interrupted by not-so-discreetly clearing his throat, and raised an eyebrow.

"Er…..Lightning seemed to take the hint, (or threat), and quickly shifted gears. "Er, in fact, I've ….decided to use the rest of the season to perfect my technique. I'll be training until the year's end, where my next competition will be in the State Derby." The last few lines were spoken with an inflection, as if he were asking permission from a source behind him. Off camera, Doc smiled and nodded his approval. They would have a few months for Lightning to build up his strength again, and they'd still have extra time to train as well.

At Lightning's statement, the crowd of news cars immediately pressed closer, all shoving microphones in Lightning's face and demanding answers.

-"Does this mean you won't be participating in the Piston Cup re-match after the elimination of Chick Hicks?"

-"Did you not receive a clean bill of health from Dr. Verte?

-"Are you afraid to race again after your crash?"

-"Is any damage that you received permanent?"

-"Did you escape from the hospital due to mal treatment?"

-"Why won't you race McQueen?"

-"Is it true you've been unable to drive past 30 mph since the accident?"

"Hey- Hey, time out! Lightning cried as the crowd's frenzy grew. "There is _NOTHING_ wrong with me. Dr. Verte _DID_ give me a clean bill of health, there was no great escape from the hospital. Just because I'm not competing for the Piston Cup doesn't mean I'm afraid to race, I'm just taking a little time off to train. End of story."

Lighting began to push his way through the crowd, Doc right behind him. There was a great cri of protest, and they could still hear questions being shouted at Lightning as approached the clinic. Unfortunately, just as they had reached the entrance, a particular question reached McQueen's ears.

"McQueen, why don't you give us a lap to prove your fit to drive?" Lightning stopped in his tracks. Seeming to realize that they had struck gold, the reporters grew quiet as they waited for a response. Doc closed his eyes, silently begging Lightning not to do what he knew he was about to. The kid had nothing to prove and he knew it. But he had been cooped up for so long in that blasted sham of a hospital, and here was a chance for him to test out the pavement after his "imprisonment", with the added bonus of it being caught on camera to prove that he was not simply hiding away to lick his wounds.

But it was too soon.

"Kid…" Doc said warningly, trying to push his way towards Lightning and make eye contact with him. But Lightning had already turned around, another winning smile already plastered on his face. "Well, maybe just one".

Doc groaned.

And so the crowd relocated to Willy's Butte. Doc had tried to let his disapproval be known to Lightning by his constant glares, but the rookie seemed oblivious to them in light of a chance to test his new-found strength. For just a moment, Doc was reminded of the hot-rod who had torn apart their entire town last year, using the statue of their founder, Stanley as his tool of destruction. The townspeople had all long ago forgiven Lightning for the disaster, (especially since they had pretty much forced him to repave the entire road).

Things had changed so much since then. Lightning had made friends in Radiator Springs, and had learned that he did not just need to _win _the race in order to be a good racer. But there were times, like right now, when a bit of Lightning's old personality would show up. Doc had no doubt that the kid was no longer the selfish brat that had he had been before, or else he wouldn't have wasted his time with the rookie. Doc could forgive this, because even though Lighting could be a little thick headed sometimes, he knew that Lightning had truly come to care for the town and all of its inhabitants. He and Lightning had formed such a tight bond over the last year; that Doc had almost begun to think of Lightning as a son. Doc sometimes wondered if he had overstepped his boundaries as a mentor, perhaps becoming too involved in Lightning's life, but it seemed that he needed the kid as much as the kid needed him.

"Hey Pops!" Lightning shouted as he approached, rousing Doc from his musings. Staring at Lightning for a moment, he wondered if he was really insulted by the term.

"Pops?" Doc asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well of you're going to play the part of the overprotective father…." Lighting joked, obviously trying to lighten his mentor's mood.

Doc snorted. "Over protective? Anyone in his right mind would know that it's foolhardy to run a race right after you've come back from the hospital. You're supposed to be taking it easy!"

"Oh come on Doc," Lightning said, nudging him affectionately. "It's only one lap, not a whole race. Not to mention that it's one lap that _you've_ made me drive a million times!"

Doc merely turned away, muttering about thick-headed hot-shots and broken windshields. Lightning rolled his eyes. "Doc, I promise I'll be careful, O.K?"

Doc simply grumbled.

Lightning must have realized that he wasn't making any progress with him, because Doc heard him sigh and drive away. Upon being notified that a "race" was to take place, Luigi had driven down to the Butte at top speed, zooming by Doc in order to take his post at the starting line in order to lower the flag. Doc watched from the sidelines, looking closely at Lightning as he began his inner chant. Doc could practically hear Lightning mouth the words "I am speed" over and over again as he began to rev his engine. Doc had already made his way halfway around the track when he heard the dreadful sound from earlier. He paused and watched his charge with a careful eye. Suddenly, Luigi lowered the flag, and every camera on the premises began to follow Lightning's progress around the track. Doc could tell the exact moment when Lightning decided to throw caution to the winds and began to accelerate, giving a cheerful cry as he began to round a corner. With the acceleration came the intensified sound of his engine, making a noise so unnatural that Doc had to cringe. Lightning was approaching the halfway point when Doc began to feel real alarm at the situation. Image be damned, he needed to get the kid out of there. He began to drive after Lightning, intending on stopping his progress. But it soon became apparent that he was too late.

To say Doc was angry would be an understatement. The Hudson Hornet was prepared to bulldoze everyone in the town, and at least one person outside of it. Doc believed his anger was perfectly justified, therefore he let it have full reign.

It was the stupid _news team's_ fault for baiting Lightning into a race in the first place, testing his strength before he was ready. It was _Lightning's_ fault for accepting their ridiculous challenge in the first place. And most of all, it was _Dr, Verte's_ fault for releasing Lightning without making sure that he was fit to drive. The more Doc thought about it, the angrier he got. Had that damned convertible even given Lightning a proper check-up? As far as Doc could remember, it had only been the aides who had seen to Lightning. Dr. Verte had only popped in long enough to check in on his paperwork and give his prized patient a pep-talk before dashing off. Doc vowed that as soon as Sally was back from Los Angeles where she had been visiting her family for the last month, he would ask her to help him sue Dr. Verte out of a practicing licence. And as for his "prized patient"…

"AND FURTHERMORE"- Doc yelled, finishing off one of the longest rants that he'd ever given once they had returned to the clinic, "IF I _EVER_ HAVE TO SAVE YOUR REAR BUMPER BY CALLING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT _EVER_ AGAIN, I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU WISH YOU'D COMBUSTED! "

Lightning flinched and exchanged a glance with Mater, who had towed him back from Willy's Butte less than a half hour ago. "I don't think Red really minded helping out" Lightning said cautiously. "It all worked out in the end…"

Doc's eyes bulged. "ALL WORKED OUT? YOU WERE IN FLAMES!" Lightning was spared an encore of Doc's shouting by the entrance of a rather disgruntled Sherriff.

"I just can't get them to leave!" he said angrily. "I even threatened to throw them all in the compound!"

"Then why didn't you?" Doc growled savagely.

"Well it's not like I have whole squadron at my disposal, Doc!" Sherriff complained. "The most I can do with so many of them out there is to put on my siren!"

Doc revved his engine angrily. "Oh I'll give you a damned squadron!" and with that he stormed off, obviously not yet out of steam from his previous rants.

Lightning, whose paint was charred all over so that he looked like a burnt marshmallow cautiously tried to push himself forward in order to move the few inches needed to peer at Doc through the window as he unleashed his fury on the crowd. Unfortunately, his progress was halted by his lack of tires, which had been removed as soon as possible and were piled up in a still-smoking heap outside of Doc's clinic, filling the air with the foul stench of burnt rubber.

Sherriff gave a low chuckle as he looked Lightning over and saw what a mess he was in. "So how was your lap, Rookie? I hear you were really _on fire_, hahaha!" Lightning rolled his eyes at Sherriff's pathetic attempt at humor, but Mater gave a full blown laugh as soon as he got the pun. "_That lap_ is the reason I'll be stuck at Doc's for the rest of my life! You can joke about it all you like, but I'll never be able to see the light of day again! I think I could seriously file an abduction complaint!"

Sherriff merely chuckled again. "Ah don't take it so hard, kid, Doc only terrorizes because he cares!"

"Cares? He's ready to turn me in for scrap metal!" Lightning yelled.

"Well, it was a pretty stupid move," Sherriff reasoned. Suddenly, they heard a number of distressed people yelling for mercy and several loud crashes. Mater rolled over to the door to see what all of the commotion was about. "Gosh, McQueen, Doc's gone and scared off all of them camera fellas! Guess you won't get that video of you racing after all".

Sherriff didn't seem concerned by the fact that his friend may have just harassed countless members of the press to the point of violence. He began to head out, but threw over his shoulder before leaving, "Kid, I don't know much about parenting, but I think it's safe to say you've just been grounded."

Lightning groaned.


	5. Chapter 5: Quack-Wanna-Be

As it turned out, Doc didn't have to sue Doctor Verte. The Hudson Hornet never would have guessed that he would be grateful to a band of vultures, but they had just made his task a heck of a lot easier. It took less than a day for the news anchors that had visited radiator springs to release their footage of Lightning's return. When Doc had turned on the television the next morning (the one that Lightning had given to him right after his old radio had mysteriously disappeared), the first thing he saw was the video footage of McQueen barrelling across the racetrack, covered in flames. Doc's eyes were glued to the screen. It had been much worse up close of course, the panic that had engulfed him had since calmed down and Lightning was safe asleep in the spare room that he had claimed as his. But still, just seeing it happen all over again… As he watched himself charge up to Lightning and call for Red, the resident fire truck, who sped over to douse the sports car with a long blast from his hose, he couldn't help but shudder. It could have all ended so differently…If Red hadn't put out the fire in time, the flames could have made it to Lightning's gas tank, causing an explosion for sure. As it was, Lightning had truly been lucky. Of course none of this nonsense would have happened at all if Dr. Verte hadn't dismissed him. Speaking of which-

"While McQueen's physician was not available for comment yesterday, our reporters have confirmed that Dr. Ian Verte had released Lightning the morning this footage was taken, and had given him a clean bill of health. The state medical board is reviewing the case as we speak, and there is a definite possibility that the doctor could face repercussions for his hasty actions."

"Humph. Seems like we're finally getting some justice around here" a voice said from the doorway. Doc didn't bother to turn around as Sherriff approached. Instead he glared menacingly at the picture of Dr. Verte that had appeared on screen. "If that quack-wanna-be doesn't lose his practicing licence over this, I'll have to deal with him myself" Doc growled. Sherriff nudged hid friend's side gently. "Don't waste your energy on him. Verte will get what's commin' to him, nobody needs an angry old coot to stir up trouble." Doc practically pushed Sherriff out of the way in anger as he distances himself from the T.V. "How can I just stand by and wait for these clowns to make a case against him? He could get off Scott-free after all he's done!" Sherriff shrugged. "Maybe he will, maybe he won't. We've both seen our fair share of guilty people get away without facing any consequences. But what happens to that numbskull shouldn't be your concern. You've got your own numbskull right here to worry about". Sherriff looked pointedly down the hall where he knew Lightning was fast asleep.

Doc followed his gaze, and once again the images of Lightning covered in flames flickered through his mind. "I almost lost him…."Doc said quietly. "First at the Piston cup, and then yesterday…" Sherriff nodded. "Yes, _almost_. But he's safe now, and it won't be long before he's back on his tires causing as much mischief as he possibly can. You can't keep thinking about what could have happened, or else you'll never give the rookie any room to grow." Doc looked away for a moment. "I _do _want him to grow. Lightning has the potential to be the best race-car the world has ever seen. But-" Doc stopped suddenly and looked behind him, making sure that the hallway was empty before continuing. "I don't know how much more the kid can handle. When he's out there on the track he gets so reckless…and I just can't protect him." Doc gave a frustrated sigh. "He's lucky that he's still running after this last month."

"Yes, he _is_ lucky." Sherriff said sternly. "Lucky that he has a mentor willing to stand by him after his career appeared to go up in smoke. You realize that if it weren't for you, McQueen wouldn't have fought so hard to get back on the track. That half-wit agent of his was ready to give up on him after one week in the garage, and Lightning was ready to believe him. If you hadn't been by his side everyday urging him on, I doubt that he would have made the recovery that he did." Doc's eyes narrowed at the mention of Lightning's agent. The last time they had spoken had done nothing to improve Doc's opinion of him. Lightning hadn't been in touch with Harve since that day, not because Doc discouraged it, but because Harve hadn't bothered to check up on Lightning during his recovery.

"_Well why not?" "Because he's being torn apart and put back together piece by piece!" Doc yelled angrily into the phone. "Leave the press out of this. The last thing McQueen needs right now is a hoard of cameras and microphones shoved in his face!"_ _Doc could hear Harve sigh impatiently on the other line. "Look, if you want McQueen to race again, he needs to keep the public interested. I'm not suggesting that he do a full interview; just give them a chance to take a few pictures of the invalid! Let them see how much he's suffering, and they'll love him all the more when he comes back for the rematch!" "Rematch!?" Doc was practically spitting with anger now. "We're not even sure if he'll be able to drive again! Even that flashy Doctor you shoved at him has doubts!" Doc attempted to lower his voice. Lightning was in the room down the hall, and it wouldn't do the kid any good to hear how worried he was. "Look Harve, if you want to bring the circus in, it'll have to wait a few weeks. There's no way McQueen will be ready to face them before he's had a chance to recover." Harve sounded horrified. "Weeks? There's no way that I can hold his image up that long. Hudson, if that's how much time it'll take, you _need_ the media to follow his stay in the hospital. He'll be as outdated as you if they don't!"Doc ignored the insult. "That's a risk we'll have to take. No press, Harve, that's my final word on the matter." And with that Doc ended the call, and didn't spend another minute thinking about the agent until they left the hospital. _

"Doc," Sherriff pulled him out of his reverie, "you _have_ been protecting him. And you can't leave him to go hunting after some idiot doctor. Your boy needs you here."

"Doc, I don't need you here every moment of the day! Seriously, go out to Flo's with Sherriff or something, I'll be fine!" Lightning urged as Doc checked to make sure that the wheel Luigi and Guido had just bolted in place was secure. It had been a week since "The Incident", and Doc had been slowly getting Lightning back into shape. He had refrained from putting on his wheels until he was certain that Lightning wouldn't burst into flames again. Lightning had whined about not being able to move every day, but his complaints were falling on deaf ears. Doc wasn't taking any chances.

"Mmm Hmm. Try to rotate your front axle for me." Doc said, eyes focused on his work. Lightning gave an impatient sigh and did as he was asked. "I'm serious! I promise I won't get into any trouble, I won't even leave the clinic!" Doc moved around to check Lightning's back tires. "Last time you made me a promise like that, you nearly melted," Doc observed dryly. "I'm sure you'll forgive my skepticism. Rear axle, kid."

Lightning groaned loudly, but once again complied. "Please, Doc?" he begged. "I really don't need a babysitter, and you haven't left the clinic for more than a few minutes since we've arrived! Just have a night to yourself, and I'll just stay in and watch T.V or something!" Lightning tried to give Doc a reassuring smile, but it quickly disappeared when Doc tapped his tires soundly with his own. "Feel any stiffness there?" Lightning choked out as Doc applied more pressure to his tire. "Just a little" Lightning panted, using all of his willpower to stay put and not dash to the other side of the room, away from Doc and his torture.

Doc finally released Lightning's tire and pressed the button on the ground that lowered the platform Lightning had been raised on. "Hmm. And this newfound need for independence wouldn't have anything to do with Sally's return from Los Angeles, would it?" Doc said with a smirk. Lightning gave an embarrassed cough and tried to look nonchalant. "Oh, was that today? Never noticed. But since you mentioned it, Doc, maybe it would be nice to have a visitor in the prison cell. So what do you say, Warden?"

Doc chuckled. "I say try out your wheels first. _Then _we'll see about visiting hours." Lightning tentatively began rolling forward, providing a noticeable contrast to the 50 meter dash he had attempted to run at Dr. Verte's clinic. Doc figured his caution was less due to common sense than for his own sake; Doc had promised Lightning earlier that if he overdid it, then he would just take away his tires again. Lightning kept a steady pace, performing wide turns for Doc and driving in reverse as well. Finally Doc suggested that they go for a test drive outside.

Lightning's eyes lit up, but he curbed his enthusiasm just enough so that Doc only noticed a slight increase in speed as they drove over to the "new" road that Lightning had paved himself. Though it had been over a year since its creation, the townspeople still insisted on calling it "new", possibly because it was one of the biggest changes to ever happen to Radiator Springs. Right next to Lightning's arrival of course.

"Hey Hotrod! Good to see you out and about!" Sherriff called as he drove past Lightning and Doc. It was a rare day indeed that the Sherriff ever passed Lightning on the road, but Doc made sure that the race car stayed under 10mph, slowing his cruise to a crawl. They drove all the way to Flo's diner before Doc was finally satisfied. "All right, Rookie, not bad. How's your motor holding up?"

"Perfect, and the gears aren't sticking when I shift anymore either. I feel great, Doc!" Lightning was practically beaming, obviously proud of himself and all of his progress. Doc gave Lightning a grin. "Well in that case, I believe there's a nice young lady inside the diner who's waiting for some hotshot to buy her a quart of oil. Interested?" Lightning's engine revved in surprise. "She's already here?! How long has she been waiting for me? Should I run through the car wash?" Rolling his eyes at Lightning's panic, Doc simply pushed him through the door towards the counter where Sally was waiting. "Hey there Stickers!" Sally said with a smile, driving up to the pair and giving Lightning a kiss on the cheek. "I heard you got into some trouble while I was away?" Lightning gave a nervous laugh. "Trouble? Me? Never!" Quickly clearing his throat, he ordered 2 quarts of oil and found a table for the couple.

"Make sure you have the boy home by 8:00 Sally," Doc warned with a wink as he left the diner. Still chuckling at the mortified look on Lightning's face, Doc drove back to the clinic. Though he was not the most _patient_ patient, Lightning was making a decent recovery, and would suffer no long term effects. Doc was confident that he was now running properly, and just needed to build up his speed and stamina back to their former level.

Just as Doc was turning the lights on, the phone rang. Praying that it wasn't another request from the press to have an interview with Lightning, Doc grudgingly answered.

"Hello, you've reached the Radiator Springs Clinic, Doctor Hudson speaking."

"Hello Hudson. Just calling to check up on your boy Lightning. He left in such a rush last week". The voice at the other end was oozing sarcasm.

Doc's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What the hell do you want, Dr. Verte?"he growled.


	6. Chapter 6: Blackmail

Disclaimer: Sill don't own Cars, Pixar, or any of the characters, (except Dr. Verte, but who'd want him anyways?).

"What the hell do you want, Verte?" Doc growled.

"Like I said, Hudson, I'm just calling to check up on my patient. I saw that terrible accident on the news, and wanted to make sure that his little spree never caused him any lasting damage."

"Accident?" Doc spat, "That car nearly got blown to pieces because of you!"

"Me?" Doctor Verte chuckled. "If I remember correctly, McQueen left my custody in exchange for yours. I had nothing to do with the whole unfortunate event. After all, who was the fool who let him speed so soon into his recovery?"

Beneath Doc's boiling anger, he felt the already-present pain of guilt tug at his insides again. He could have stopped Lightning from taking that lap around the track. He could have forbidden him to leave the clinic, or chased off the reporters before they could push him any further. And if that had failed, well, he could have just got Sherriff to lock up the hotrod in the impound. But instead he had let Lightning loose, and they had both paid the consequences. Verte may be responsible for Lightning's malfunction, but Doc was responsible for Lightning. He should have taken better care of him.

Doc shook himself out of his somber thoughts and focused on the situation at hand. "Lightning made that decision himself, Verte. The only reason he felt confident enough to drive that lap was because you let him go before he was ready." Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling that he was justifying his actions, Doc continued, "None of this would have happened if you had repaired him properly. You're incompetence nearly cost that boy his life, and I'll make sure that you pay for it."

Dr. Verte laughed bitterly. "That's right, you and the rest of the world. I can't tell you how many threatening messages I've gotten in the last week, so believe me when I say that yours doesn't intimidate me any more than the last one." There was a brief pause on the phone, and then Doc heard Verte let out a sigh. "Look, Hudson, the public might not be on my side right now, but the tide will turn soon enough. Till then, I think you should seriously reconsider where you're shifting all of this blame."

Doc's eyes narrowed dangerously. "The only thing I'm reconsidering is a lawsuit that could clean out that pretty little garage of yours," he growled.

Dr. Verte simply gave another chuckle. "Oh-ho, Hudson, I'd just _love_ to see you try. However, I don't have time to play your little games at the moment. Which brings us to the main reason for my phone call."

"Oh?"

"You're going to announce that McQueen suffered no lasting damage in a press conference, and call off the public from harassing me."

"Like Hell I will!" Doc snarled.

"Oh yes, you will, that is if you care about Lightning's future. If you think that the only thing that can keep you boy from racing is a few busted tires then you're in for a wakeup call. I can have him off the track as soon as I make one phone call."

A surge of rage and panic shot through Doc at the mention of Lightning. While he normally would have dismissed a threat like this completely, Doc wondered whether a figure as rich and well-connected as Doctor Verte would be able to put everything that the kid had worked for down the drain. There was more at stake than his own reputation at the moment. "Threaten me all you want Verte, but leave Lightning out of this. You've already caused him enough damage to last him a lifetime." Doc kept his voice steady, but let the tone carry his own threat.

Dr. Verte Ignored him. "Hudson, either admit that this was all an unfortunate accident or I'll be forced to defend my career with a violence that McQueen won't be able to recover from. You have two days to get the public announcement on the road." And with that statement, the convertable ended their conversation.

Doc took a deep breath and closed his eyes. _There was_ _no reason to worry_. Doctor Verte couldn't touch Lightning; there was no way that he could make good on his threat, and _certainly_ not with one phone call. Verte was just using theatrics in an attempt to scare Doc into doing what he wanted. Sighing to himself, Doc turned around to face the door, planning on driving a few laps down at the Butte in hopes of relieving some of his frustration towards Verte. However his path was blocked by a frowning police car.

"And just what was that all about?" Sherriff asked sternly.

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After two hours of talking about the situation with his friend, Doc was exhausted with the subject. "I'm telling you, Sherriff, there's nothing we can do right now."

"Well why the hell not?! Sherriff practically yelled. "This was _blackmail_, plain and simple, and his character is already under suspicion with the medical board! What he did was illegal!

"Because," Doc said wearily, "we have no proof. It would be my word against his that the telephone call was anything other than a 'friendly checkup'. The accusation wouldn't hold up in court, and we'd lose the case." Sherriff growled and revved his engine until black smoke began to cloud up Doc's kitchen. "This is ridiculous! He's going to destroy that boy's career over a mistake that _he _made!"

"That ain't gunna happen". Doc said with confidence. "I'd be willing to bet my garage that Verte's bluffing, otherwise he wouldn't have called in the first place. He needs to get some control back, and he thought he could scare me into doing it. With the position that he's in now, he can't do diddly-squat to Lightning."

Sherriff shook his head. "I'm not sure if I would take that bet. Verte's on the fast track to losing his whole career, and that makes him desperate. I've seen more decent cars then him do some pretty desperate things in my time, and I don't have any trouble imagining what kind of levels he would stoop to in order to get his way."

"It won't come to that" Doc said stubbornly. "I'm telling you that car's all out of tricks, I'd-."

"Yha, yha, you'd bet the garage on it," Sherriff said impatiently. "But are you willing to bet Lightning? I don't understand why you won't swallow your pride and take every precaution!

"Because that lousy excuse for an automotive deserves every line of bad press that he gets!" Doc snarled. "I'm not going to take away the one punishment he gets just because he tosses a few empty threats around!" He had taken a harsher tone than he had intended, but let his rage pour out. "Right now, the only car that Verte has a problem with is _me_, not Lightning, and I'm going to keep it that way. I'm not ignoring him to prove a point; I'm doing this to make sure that Lightning gets just a little bit of the justice that he deserves after the hell he's been through!"

Sherriff looked offended at his friend's outburst, but lowered his voice all the same. "I'm not suggesting a complete surrender," he started cautiously, "just cut him a little slack so that he'll back off."

Doc snorted. "What kind of example would I set for the rookie if I rolled over every time someone gave me a little push? We need to stand up to him!"

Sherriff sighed. This isn't about rolling over, Doc." Then his eyes narrowed and he let his frustration get the better of him. "It's about weighing your options and using that thick hood of yours! Yes, Lightning expects you to make certain judgement calls, and sometimes that means giving up what you want in order to protect something more important!"

Doc glared at Sherriff. "I _am _protecting what's important. Verte will take responsibility for his actions one way or another, and Lightning won't ever have to worry about that block head again. The only time that Verte will ever see the inside of a garage after this is if I send him there as a patient. Case closed, end of discussion." Without another word, Doc drove out the door. He could hear Sherriff leave after him, cursing and grumbling as he headed towards the station.

Just as Doc was about to make the turn for the Butte, he saw Sally and Lightning heading up the road towards him. His argument with Sherriff must have taken longer than he'd imagined if the young couple were already returning. "Hey there Warden!" Sally said brightly. "Were you about to come collect the prisoner?"

Lightning laughed, but Doc could only manage a half-hearted smile. "Actually I was about to take a little drive. Thanks for bringing him back, Sally, glad to see he hasn't spontaneously combusted yet." Sally let out a light chuckle, gave Lightning a quick kiss on his hood, and then said good night to the pair before driving off. Lightning had a dreamy look in his eye that only appeared when he was around Sally, or his Piston cup collection. Snapping him back into reality, Doc gave him a nudge towards the clinic. "Come on Hot-Shot, time for some rest. No snacks and no T.V, just straight to bed." Lightning rolled his eyes but began to drive, only to turn back when he realized Doc wasn't following. "Uh, Doc, the clinic's this way, right?" He asked with a smile.

"Indeed it is, so why aren't you already there?" Doc answered patronisingly.

"Well I couldn't help but notice that you're not exactly heading in the same direction"

Now it was Doc's turn to roll _his_ eyes. "I wasn't aware that the crash made you lose your hearing, kid. I said that I was going for a drive, remember? Now scoot, before I decide to tell Sally that you still watch 'Buggie Babies' every Tuesday." Lightning's eyes widened in genuine fear before wishing Doc a hurried 'good night' and dashing off to the clinic as fast as his newly repaired motor would allow him.

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It was nearly midnight before Doc left the Butte, out of breath and nearly out of gas. He had spent all of his energy tearing into the dirt, imagining that it was Verte's face he was crushing instead of the tiny pebbles and sticks that littered the track. Even though he was exhausted, he wished he could go around another lap to relieve all of his anger. However he had left Lightning alone long enough, he needed to make sure that the kid wasn't still having trouble sleeping without his pain medication.

Driving up the hill that would take him back to the main road, he quickly realized that he would have to change Lightning's prescription to something stronger. Or at least have Sherriff put a car-boot on him.

"I thought you said that you didn't need to be supervised all the time?" Doc growled. "Did I or did I not tell you to get some rest, McQueen?"

Lightning smiled sheepishly. "Well, technically I've been resting up here for hours, haven't budged an inch, and I didn't eat any snacks or turn on the T.V, so really I didn't break any rules". He drove up to where his mentor was. "It's kinda late for training, Doc. Something on your mind?"

Doc glared at his apprentice, trying to intimidate him into giving up and dropping the matter. But Lightning just stared right back, and waited patiently for an answer. Eventually, Doc sighed and decided that Lightning should know about the empty threat anyways.

"I got a phone call today". He started out, and then paused for the wise crack Lightning was bound to make about his surprise that anyone would bother to call a grumpy old race car. However Lightning just nodded and waited for further explanation.

"It was Doctor Verte," Doc continued, watching as Lightning cringed. "He's asked me to make a public statement that he had nothing to do with your gas tank exploding so that the press will stop attacking him, and the medical board will stop threatening to revoke his licence."

"Asked?" Lightning said sceptically.

"Well, pretty much demanded. He basically said that if I didn't, he'd end your days on the race track." He expected Lightning to insist that he agree to these terms right away, but was pleasantly surprised by way he continued to look at him with complete trust and accepted these events.

"Right. So we're going to…?

"_I'm_ going to handle this. You're going to stay out of trouble, and keep away from the public's eye for as long as possible. Verte's threats might be just made of exhaust fumes, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious." Now that he had calmed down somewhat, Doc began to regret his words to Sherriff earlier. He wasn't going to give in to Verte's demands, but he was at least going to make sure that Lightning didn't give him any ammunition to attack them with.

Lightning gave Doc a small grin. "Hey, if that's the plan, that's the plan." The pair began the long drive back to the clinic, watching as the stars began to fade into the town's bright lights. "Hey Doc," Lightning said suddenly, "Thanks for doing this. I know that I can be a real pain sometimes, but-"

"Try _all_ of the time"

"_But_, it's nice to know that you have my back when I need you. You're always there to clean up whatever mess I've made and help me become a better racer, but I want you to know that I think you're also helping me become a better car as well. If it weren't for you, I never would have thought that I could go back to racing after my crash. You pushed me until I got back on my tires, and you stayed with me even after I was an idiot and set myself on fire." Lightning never looked at Doc through this whole speech, but kept moving forward. Doc was forced to keep up with him, though he had stalled in shock for a moment. "I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me, especially the last few weeks. I've never had anyone look after me the way you do, and I really appreciate it. I know that it's not saying much, but you need to know that it's not just a one-way street. If there's ever anything you need, I'd like to think that you'd come to me first. So if this Verte guy is causing you trouble because of me, I'd rather that we talk about it rather than have you out past your bedtime driving ruts in the ground." Emotions were all fighting to escape Doc's tough exterior. Surprise, gratitude, affection, but most of all a fierce pride was welling up inside of him. Lightning's words meant more to him than he could say.

"All I want," Doc said slowly, stopping their progress so that Lightning would look at him, "is for you to get back to doing what you do best. Get rested up so that you can get your rear back on track, literally. And if after all this you decide that you hate racing and want to work at Ramone's, then I want you to do that. I just want you to be happy kid, whatever it takes."

The two cars shared a small smile before Doc gently nudged Lightning back towards the clinic. After a moment, Doc continued, "And of course it'll soon be time for you to settle down, so I'll be sure to tell Sally that I want lots of grandkids as quickly as possible-"

Now it was Lightning's turn to stall. "Gr-Gra-Grandkids?" he sputtered, the affectionate moment between them completely broken.

"After all, if I'm old enough to have a bedtime set by the likes of you, then I'm certainly old enough to have a few little tykes riding around. Not getting any younger, McQueen, better get a move on."

Doc drove ahead with a smirk plastered on his face, leaving a stunned and stuttering Lightning behind him.

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Author's Note: **Hey folk, sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, I've just started a new job recently and it's been taking up a lot of my time. Poor Lightning still has some drama to go through before I'm done with him though, so stay tuned and please keep reviewing to see more of this story! Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7: Accusations

Of course Chick had decided that today of all days was the perfect time to show his hood. What prompted him the aggravating sports car to be driven all the way to Radiator Springs was a mystery to Doc, but he could certainly hazard a guess.

As he exited his trailer, Hicks flashed the waiting paparazzi a winning smile. Momentarily distracted, the press began to swarm the race car, cameras flashing wildly.

Lightning had woken up, presumably from all of the commotion, and was currently standing at the door to the clinic, a sleepy yawn still in progress. Doc quickly drove to his side, intent on removing him from the area before the inevitable disaster occurred.

"Hey, Kid", Doc said as he approached, attempting to block the rookie's view of the commotion behind him. "How about you head down to Flo's for some breakfast? I'll bet Sally's already got a booth for the two of you all set up."

Lightning began to nod, a goofy smile already on his face at the prospect of seeing Sally so soon in the morning. But then Mater lazily drove up to the duo, fresh from the café himself.

"Mornin' Doc, Mornin' McQueen. Say, Doc, ain't that flock o' buzzards out there chattin' up Chick Hicks?"

Lightning's eyes snapped into focus. "What? Hicks? WHat's he doing here?"

"I don't know," Doc said, "but I'm going to find out. ALONE," he growled. blocking Lightning's way when he attempted to pass him. "Lightning, just stay away from that guy. Remember how we talked about being cautious? Lying low in front of the press while we wait for Verte to trip up? The last thing we need right now is some sort of show-down between you two. Just Go to breakfast, and I'll find out what Chick wants."

Even though as he spoke, Doc's anger at the racecar began to boil over. How dare Hicks show his hood around these parts? Doc had only seen him once since his violent actions at the Piston Cup. THe memory of it was enough to make Doc grin; he was positive that Chick had leaked oil when he had cornered him outside the victory party he'd decided to throw himself after the race. Doc had been quite certain that he'd gotten his point across to Hicks, growling not-so-subtle threats concerning steam rollers and Bull tractors, (or just disassembling him for parts). And yet here he stood, mocking Doc in his own front yard. Just what did he hope to accomplish?

Lightning scowled. "Forget it, Doc. He's obviously here to see me, and we both know he won't leave until he does. The quickest way to get rid of him is to just see what he wants, and then send him packing."

Doc knew Lightning was right, but hesitated to allow him to initiate contact with his bold words, Lightning looked exhausted. Hicks was obviously trying to provoke him into doing something stupid, and with the kid not at the top of his game, he just might succeed. Lightning needed a well earned rest, not a confrontation.

"Hey McQueen, it's ten o'clock, buddy! Were you really still sleeping?" Asked Chick in his superior voice. "I've been on the road since five a.m, just to see you, and you're still in dreamland! What a welcome!" Chick laughed obnoxiously, and signalled for the crowd to let him through. They parted rapidly, creating a small lane for Chick as he approached Lightning. Doc wished with all of his might that Lightning wouldn't take Chick's bait, but one glance at the seething racecar behind him told him that hope was futile at this point.

"Well yhea, Hucks, as a matter of fact, I WAS still sleeping. I seem to need a lot more of that since you nearly killed me over a trophy."

Any member of the press who wasn't filming the conversation yet certainly was now. Doc could almost hear their silent appeals for the racecars to fight each other, begging for a juicy story.

Chick's eyes narrowed dangerously. "It's not my fault that you got a little scratched up because you can't stay in one lane, McQueen. That's racing. You get in the way of a champion, you get burned in his wake. everyone knows that.

"Really?" asked Doc skeptically. "Because as far as the review board for the Piston Cup is concerned, what you did out there was the trashiest piece of driving they've ever seen, let alone on the track."

Chick's gaze turned towards Doc instead. "Is that so? Then they must not have heard of the stunt you tried to pull back in '54. Now THAT was trash."

Doc's engine revved in anger. The end of his racing career was still a sore spot for him, especially given what just happened to Lightning.

"Lightning!" Doc yelled in surprise as the red racecar slammed into the green one. Within seconds, Chick was pushed up against Ramone's paint shop. Despite his situation, Chick was laughing.

"What's the problem McQueen? What, are you afraid to hear about how gramps over here disgraced racecars everywhere? Does it _bother_ you that your hero's nothing more than a hypocrite?" The crowed that had followed Hicks had fallen silent, each member of the press getting as close as they dared to the scene,

Despite the many eyes watching him, Lightning never faltered, his gaze trained on Hicks like a radar. "Get out of here, Hicks. Whatever exhaust you're selling, I'm not buying". Lightning gave Hicks one last shove in disgust, and then turned away. As he headed for Flo's, Hicks jeered after him, "Better find yourself a new crew chief, McQueen; your old one's not just talentless, he's also corrupt! I don't care what kind of goody-four-wheels act you and your team are trying to pull, I know the truth, and soon enough, everyone else will too!" Lightning never reacted to this impressive speech, but just continued on his way to breakfast. Doc smiled in approval at his retreating charge, and then turned back to Hicks. He'd be lying if he said that his words hadn't rattled him. He'd have to deal with this quickly so that he could explain things to Lightning, before things got out of hand.

Doc put on a smug grin, "Well now. I think you'd best be on your way, boy. Your 'welcome' has officially expired." to his irritation, Chick grinned back.

"Nah, I think I'll stick around for a while. After all, McQueen and I have a lot of catching up to do! It seems he needs to be educated about certain...events."

Doc gave him a glare that deflated tires on braver cars than Hicks. "Perhaps I wasn't clear enough before. You're leaving. Now. There's not a car in this town that would let you within 10 feet of their property. I give the word, and you'll be arrested for trespassing, no matter where you stand in Radiator Springs. And I believe you'll find that our compound is a lot less comfortable than the motes on route 67. So unless you want to wake up in a junk-yard to our resident tow-truck's snoring, I suggest you move along, son.

Doc had the satisfaction of seeing chick pull a disgusted face as he contemplated the scenario. "All right, Gramps, have it your way." Chick backed off towards his trailer, and the crowd parted for him once again, snapping last minute pictures.

"Tell Lightning I've been banished to the motel in the next town over if he wants to know the truth about "The Fabulous Hudson Hornet!" Chick yelled behind him. The press who had gathered around him apparently took that as a personal invitation, and dashed after Hicks' trailer as if they were racing against him. Only one news crew remained behind,

"Hi there, Claire Eten with ATV news, I was hoping you might save us some time by giving us your version of the "events" that transpired in 1986? Just what was Mr. Hicks referring to?" Doc gave a heavy sigh and turned towards the young Jaguar who was aiming her microphone at him. He _really_ didn't have time for this now. "Look ma'me, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I've got better things to do that hash out the past. So, if you'll excuse me?"

Claire and her team backed off immediately, tripping over their apologies and speeding off in the direction Hicks took.

"Hmmph." Sheriff said, appearing out of nowheres behind Doc's shoulder, "Smart girl. Or maybe she was just one of the reporters you cased off the day Lightning came home!" Sheriff chuckled to himself as Doc groaned. "Say now, did you ever hear from that blackmailing piece o' scrap yet? Thought the tough guy gave you a deadline?"

"Mmm, that he did Sheriff. Perfect timing, isn't it? Just what we need, Lightning overheating over this little drama when we _should _be on the alert for Dr. Verte. I always knew he was a hot-head, but you'd think that he'd keep his cool long enough to realize that Hicks just wants to cause trouble." Doc heaved a great sigh. "But he was right about one thing though. I owe Lightning an explanation. And I suppose I'd better get it over with sooner rather than later."

Sheriff eyed him curiously. "You mean that guy actually had something on ya?"

"Yup." Doc didn't elaborate. It might not make a difference now, but he was certain Lightning should be the first to know. Over the last few months, Lightning had made it quite clear just how much he respected Doc, and Doc had done everything in his power to earn that respect; training the kid, helping him heal, and giving tough love where it was necessary. Even though it was so long ago, Doc knew that this would put the bond that they had forged into jeopardy, He had tried to forget about the past, not that he deserved the peace of mind, but because it was important not go back to the dark place he had been in. And if he was honest with himself, he was a little afraid.

All of his friends who had known him for years had only just adjusted to him being a once famous race car. How would they react when they discovered he was no better than Chick Hicks?

There was only one way to find out.

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"And then Hicks asked us to tell you that he'd be up in the hotel on route 67 if ya decide that you'd like to chat again. After that, he drove off all fancy-like and took all them reporters with him too."

Lightning sighed. "Thanks Mater."

"Well, are you gunna go?" Mater asked,

Lighting shook his head. "He's not worth it Mater."

"But what about all o'them mean things he was saying about Doc? Ain't you gunna set him straight? Tell him how Doc ain't a corrupt hypa- hipo- well a bad driver?"

But Lightning shook his head. "It wouldn't prove anything to have me go down there and call him a liar, Mater. We need to just ignore him for now and then we'll get him the next time we meet on the track."

Doc smiled in approval. Maybe Lightning wasn't such a hot head after all. He continued to watch the two chat from the entrance at Flo's diner, quietly filling Sally in about what happened this morning. He spared her most of the details, but told her enough to warn her Lightning would be in a bad mood at the moment, and an even worse one once he was done talking to him.

"But Doc, Mater has a point there. Isn't he just going to smear your name in the mud more unless you address the issue?" Sally asked with worry. "If you'd like we could sue him for slander, but I'm afraid the damage will have already been done by then."

Doc shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not just slander, Sally. I'm not sure how much Chick knows, but I'm convinced he knows enough about what happened to ruin my reputation. It's too late to stop him, and the only thing I can do now is explain myself to everybody...and hope for forgiveness.

Sally's eyes began to fill with tears. "Oh Doc, no matter what it was, we'll always be on your side. Don't you doubt it for a second!"

Doc looked away, his expression resigned. "We'll see, M'dear. We'll see," And with that he left the safety of the entrance, and for the second time in his life, went to receive judgement for his past actions.

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"Now before I begin" Doc said, leading Lightning away to his garage so that they could have some privacy, "I need you to understand that nothing that I can never forgive myself for what I've done in the past. What I'm about to tell you...well, it's bad, son. I'm not as good as everyone thinks I am, or maybe as I pretend to be. But I am _not_ the same car as I was back then. For years, I wished that I could take back what I did, but I couldn't, so there was no choice for me but to move on. And...while Hicks might be a worthless piece of metal, he was right today. I _am_ a hypocrite." Lightning didn't interrupt Doc's speech, but merely waited for him to continue, looking away from Doc as he spoke. In some ways, this made it easier for Doc, but he couldn't help but feel like Lightning was already turning away from him for good.

"Back...Back after I crashed, I spent months in a garage, just like you. I was broken up on the outside, being put together piece by piece, but on the inside I was fired up and ready to go. Every day, the newspaper had new updates about the marathon that was going to take place, the one that I was supposed to participate in. I knew that if I wanted to enter, I would have to heal fast. So I spent every day building up my stamina, getting a little bit stronger, until I was finally able to leave the garage. I never once thought that after everything that had happened, they wouldn't keep a spot open for me."

Lightning nodded. He knew this part of the tale, Doc had told him once before that he had been rejected because he was "all washed up". But Doc kept going, his words coming out more slowly, as if every syllable was painful.

"I...had been replaced. My sponsor had found a new representative, and my manager had jumped right on the bandwagon. His name was Farley Ree, a bright young kid with a lot of talent. He was the latest...rookie. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't convince them to take me back. Farley was the next big thing, and nothing was going to change their minds. I even tried to challenge him to a race, one on one, but the rookie didn't want to waste his time with me, or so he said. I was convinced he was just too afraid to face me, that he knew I was better and didn't want to give up his fast track to fame and fortune. But I knew that I needed that chance, so...I waited. I waited until he was alone, after training one night. I thought..that I could convince him to race me. Maybe even give up my manager and sponsor. But the kid just laughed at me, I don't know what it was exactly that set me off, but at some point, I snapped."

Lightning's eyes widened in shock, turning towards Doc for the first time. "You...attacked him?"

Doc shook his head. "No, I destroyed him. Never gave him a chance to fight back. I was ruthless, and didn't know when to quit. I barely remember any of it to be honest, just his screams, and the wreck that I left behind.

"Did he,,,survive?" Lightning asked hesitantly, his voice low and wobbly. It was Doc's turn to look away. He could see the Lightning was upset. More so than he'd imagined. He had been prepared for anger. But this...disappointment. The tears on Lightning's face that made him look so much younger. He was crushing his boy...just like he had crushed Farley.

"I wouldn't call it survival myself." Doc grimaced. "That car, What I did to him...He never drove again, let alone raced. I had damaged his engine so badly that it was almost beyond repair. Because he was just starting out, he couldn't afford a decent doctor. If only one had gotten to him in time, maybe he would have a better quality of life now. But as it is, Farley never got out of that hospital."

Lightning's mouth was agape, staring in horror at his mentor and friend. "But..how are you not impounded? Doc, that's a huge crime...Weren't you caught?" Doc stared directly ahead of him, refusing to look at Lightning. "Oh I was. But I never got what I deserved. Not really. My father was able to hush the whole thing up, play it off as if I was just defending myself, like Farley had made the first move. Back then I had thought it was a blessing to have a judge as a daddy...Now I realize that it was the worse thing that could have happened to me."

Though Doc knew there was nothing funny about the situation, he found himself giving a little chuckle. "After the worst part of my life, things really started to look up for me. I never wanted to race again, not that they would ever take me back anyways, so I began to train as a Doctor. The only way I could live with myself after that was to fix up broken cars. In every one of them, I imagined that I was putting Farley back together, making up for what I had done...But I knew it was never enough. I couldn't live with myself there, so I left. I traveled from town to town, but everywhere I went all anyone could talk about was racing, and that thrice damned Piston Cup. I couldn't stand it. Finally, I wound up here, In Radiator Springs. Everything was slower here..more peaceful and quiet. While I was never able to forgive myself. But after a while...I guess I must have been able to forget...Until you came along that is. Stirring up trouble like a whirlwind, and I suppose you know the rest," Doc finished.

There was a long silence between them.

"So...Is that everything?" Lightning asked.

"That's everything." Agreed Doc.

Another pause.

"I...can't…..I….need...to go. For a drive. Right now."

Doc nodded. "And I'm guessing you don't want company?"

Lightning hesitated before answering. "No...No I don't." Doc could hear him drive to the door before he stopped. "Are you going to tell the others? The rst of the town?"

Doc never hesitated. "Yes. They have a right to know, same as you. I can't keep them from this."

Lightning's tone was suddenly full of acid. "Because it will all come out soon anyways. Because Chick knows, and he's going to tell everyone."

"Lightning, I know I should have handled things differently-"

"Oh, like what, Doc? What would you have done differently? Would you have told us the truth from the beginning, or would you have just covered your tracks better so that it never would have come up in the first place?"

"Heck no, Lightning, I never would have touched Farley in the first place! I would have backed down! I would have-

"Because it seems to me," Lightning carried on, his voice getting louder and more unstable as he went on, "That if Hicks hadn't come to town, you would have kept this little secret your whole life! You've known these people for years! DECADES! And they don't have the slightest clue who you are! How many other secrets do you have under that hood, Doc? First you hide that you're a racecar, and then you hide that you're a criminal! What next? HOW are they ever going to trust you again?" And then in a much more subdued voice, "How am _I_ supposed to trust you again?" Shaking his head in disgust, Lightning backed out of the garage. Doc waited a moment, and then raced after him. "Lightning! Wait, Lightning! JUST WAIT THERE ONE MINUTE AND LISTEN!" But Doc could see Lightning was through. He turned back and gave Doc a long hard look. "Doc, I've been doing nothing but listening since I came back into town. And in all that time, you couldn't find a moment to tell me the truth. I'm done listening, old man." And with that, Lightning sped off down the main road, leaving Doc to watch as he grew further and further away, turning off on the highway and disappearing.


End file.
